The escape room

First things first My humble 1BHK didnt come with the coveted balcony With all the extracurricular activities that have been announced during the lockdown so far where junta is egged on and expected to show their solidarity with joint public exercises from their homes ndash vocal aural and wattagerelated the lack of this allimportant extra FSI doesnt do wonders for current motivation levels and moraleAfter the kitchen the balcony seems to be the most discussed section of ones home on the Internet in this lockdown period Below are just some of the examples of the showingoff giri that we have been subjected to across social media platformsI took a masked selfie with an empty traffic junction in the backdrop Bombay meri jaanLook at my sunset photography skills from my 33rd floor home Bhai what composition What play of lightCheck out the sea view from my homehellipoh and do I spot seagulls er maybe crowsMumbai at my feet Look at my selfie ignore ughlooking hirsute legs as I enjoy metime over chaiWatch my video of the Indian mynah perched on a tree opposite my balcony Shall I send it to Nat GeoIts as if a considerable chunk of Bombay is rediscovering the joys of having an attached balcony And just as home chefs are unravelling their genius or something like that in the kitchen these balconywallahs are happy to strut their stuff and post just about anything from thereYes I am envious so let me quickly admit that I would have always loved the idea of having one despite the sometimes obnoxious views and sights jutting out of their homes blame it on the shortsighted architect of my housing societyAs the lockdown gets extended I can almost hear a round of collective sighs because this possession is not just a cool prop for the showingoff bunch There are others as well who are finding sanctuary and solace in these airy spaces Away from the decibeldefying volumes of the TV set in the bedroom or from the tantrums of their nearlyteen kids the balcony is that ticket to temporary nirvana With nuclear families and tiny homes where everyone steps on each others toes all the time a la like foot space on a Churchgate Fast the balcony has come to everyones rescueThe earliest examples of community living in Bombay were sown in our chawls and it is this microcosm of the city where the concept of the balcony emerged and mushroomed The space was the adda for gupshup as members mingled with their neighbours on the same floor if not the entire unit Soon twothree storeyed buildings emerged on the cityscape with large balconies and the same connections were established and practised albeit in a slightly tweaked way Yet the sense of interaction with your neighbours at least on the same floor remained intact And then came the highrises where the idea was more inwardlooking than the opposite With it the concept of the balcony seized to exist in its original template at least if we were to look at Bombay from a social viewpointBalconyspotting in Bombay can be a brilliant pastime Try it when things return to normalcy It is a remarkable window ha pun intended into the dynamics of a multicultural city and how it grew over the decades From Dadar Parsi Colony and Sion Circle to JJ Flyover Cumballa Hill and Kalbadevi I promise you will be wowed by the diversity on displayAnyone whos walked past the Art Deco buildings that line Oval Maidan or Marine Drive is sure to marvel at the gorgeous designs that dress the facades You guessed it ndash those beauties happen to be my favourite pick if a fairy godmother were to grant me a wish for a dream balcony the home can come laterThen again if someone out there is giving out wishes Id rather route it for a safer Bombay that emerges stronger from this villainous pandemic on this blessedEaster Sundaymiddays Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the citys sights sounds smells and stoneswherever the ink and the inclination takes her She tweets bombayanaSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news